GAME NOTES: The Butler Bulldogs take aim at their third consecutive decision as they visit the Verizon Center on Saturday for a Big East Conference tilt against the Georgetown Hoyas.

Butler defeated Xavier last Saturday, 88-76, before outlasting Seton Hall for a 79-75 overtime win on Tuesday to improve to 13-5 overall. The Bulldogs are just one game out of first place in the Big East standings with a 3-2 league ledger, putting them in a five-way tie with Georgetown, DePaul, Seton Hall and Providence. The Bulldogs are ranked first in the conference in scoring defense (60.2 ppg) and second in the league in three-point field goal percentage defense (.287). Butler is also pacing the Big East in rebounding margin (+5.9) thanks to having out-rebounded 14 of its 18 opponents during the 2014-15 campaign.

The Hoyas enter Saturday's action with some momentum of their own, as their 78-72 triumph over DePaul in Rosemont on Tuesday marked their third win in four outings. Georgetown's recent success has risen it to an 11-5 standing, including an 8-1 mark at home. Coach John Thompson III's team has the fourth highest scoring offense (72.2 ppg) in the Big East, but it ranks eighth in the 10-team league in points allowed per game (65.2). The Hoyas are receiving votes in both the major top 25 polls, making each game crucial towards their goal of breaking back into the national rankings.

This will be the second head-to-head matchup of the season between these schools with another scheduled for March 3 at Butler. The Bulldogs downed Georgetown, 64-58, on Nov. 28 in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament, a contest which did not reflect on either team's conference record.

The Bulldogs lost a lead in the second period versus the ranked Pirates their last time out, but managed to force an extra session and win their first overtime game of the season. Junior guard Kellen Dunham knocked down a 3-point field goal try just over a minute into overtime to give the Bulldogs a lead which they would not relinquish. Junior forward paced Butler with 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor, while Dunham netted 21 points. Senior center Kameron Woods finished with 15 rebounds and just one point shy of a double- double. Woods leads the league and ranks ninth among Division I players in total rebounds (170). Dunham is ranked fourth in the conference in scoring (16.8 ppg) and is tied for second in the league with 2.4 makes from beyond the arc per game.

Just like the visitors, Georgetown also has a capable scoring guard leading the way in D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, who poured in 25 points and handed out five assists to help his squad edge DePaul on Tuesday. The junior guard did a solid portion of his damage at the charity stripe, where he sank 10-of-13 tries. The Hoyas converted 26-of-32 at the free-throw line as a unit. Five other Georgetown players finished with seven points or more, including Jabril Trawick, who posted 11 points on 3-of-5 efficiency from the field. Trawick has scored in double figures eight times season, including five of the last seven games. Smith-Rivera ranks fifth on the conference's scoring leaderboard, averaging 15.0 ppg. The Preseason Big East Player of the Year also ranks tied for eighth in the Big East with 3.6 assists per game.

These teams showed they were fairly even in talent when they squared off on a neutral floor in November. The Bulldogs will have to overcome Georgetown's homecourt advantage in this one, something that is much easier said than done. The Hoyas have an excellent chance of avenging that loss, especially if they improve upon the 10-of-19 performance at the free-throw line they submitted in the first matchup.